This morning our private guide will pick us up to begin our tour. Mid-morning we make our way to meet today's Chef in his nearby restaurant in Quito's old town, where we are going to enjoy an authentic and interactive cooking class, learning how to prepare some typical Ecuadorian dishes. We can cool off and use the bathrooms, then accompanied by our guide and Chef, we first head to the local market.

At the local market we visit several the Chef's favorite stalls and suppliers and learn about the products and culinary traditions of Ecuador. Together we select the ingredients for the cooking class. We can take pictures, taste some endemic fruits and make our own purchases if desired.

On return to the restaurant, our cooking class begins. First things first, we don our chef's hat and apron and talk through the 3 Ecuadorian dishes we will cook. They are simple and typical Ecuadorian recipes: a Locro Quiteño (potato and avocado soup), an Encocado (fish (vegeterian option available) served with coconut sauce) and a Chocolate "Soup".

These foods have been chosen specifically because the ingredients used can be found worldwide, so we will have the chance to cook these recipes for family and friends on our return home. Written recipes will be emailed to us at the end of the day.

The class is very much an interactive experience - we chop, peel, cut, season, beat, stir and mix the ingredients, all under the expert guidance of Chef, who shares with us details about the history of each dish and its origin as we work.

After elaborating the 3 courses, we are invited to take a seat at the lunch table and savour the meal we have prepared with the Chef's guidance.